Developing Systems that can Utilize Captured Command and Performance Data to Support Collaborative Adaptation in Dynamic Distributed Work Environments

Abstract

In complex dynamic distributed work environments there is often a need to adapt previously prescribed operations if optimal performance is to be continually achieved. For instance, changes in an organization's personnel, structure, technological resources, procedures, or the physical environment in which work is performed can all have an impact on what adaptation is needed. With modern information systems that capture individual and collaborative decision making and performance in these organizations there is the potential to leverage that data to improve awareness and understanding of what has occurred in the past and to help decide where changes need to be made in future operations. In this paper, two case studies are presented and compared where such data has been utilized this way. The first involves the development of the Post Operations Evaluation Tool to help support adaptation by FAA and Airline operations center staff, and the second involves the development of C2 insight to help support adaptation by Army commanders in command posts. In both cases it was found important to (1) model the system in such a way that contributing factors to performance measures of interest are easily retrieved and appropriately associated with outcome; (2) provide the user with analytical tools to help identify important patterns in the system, but also provide significant freedom in searching through the captured data – starting with meaningful overviews and then providing support for coupled interactive related views on the data, as well as filtering and drill-down capabilities, and (3) provide support for collaborative discussion and problem solving on patterns that one user or group believes are evidence that adaptation is needed.